Page 36 of Ruin

“Zander?”

His eyes widened and I was sure he mouthed one word:brother…and smiled.That crazy mofo, actually, smiled… I tried to take a step towards him, but the power of the gate dragged at me. My feet scraped through the thick bone dust, leaving trails.

Berith landed, his hate filled gaze fixed on Zander. “That was stupid, Son. You think that will save him, or his whore? They are both mine! And I will make them suffer, just for you, every single day for a fucking eternity…” And with the talons at the apex of his leathery bat like wings, he stabbed Zander through the chest.

“No!” I fought. Mother, how I fought to reach the guard who had become my friend. I bellowed as Berith ripped those vicious spikes from Zander’s chest and grabbed him by the throat. Zander’s eyes widened as I slammed one foot back into the ground towards him.

“No…Go...Ember…” He gurgled, black demon blood spraying from his lips and covering his burnt charcoal skin.

I shook my head, but had no choice but to leave my friend when a horrid, ear piercing screech came from the gate and I was dragged into a vortex. My whole body started to tingle. I peered down at my fingers, panic gripping me when they were translucent and my cells disassembled, floating away like grains of sand...

Chapter 12

Connor

“Please,Connor, please, come back to me!” Quiet, despairing sobs pulled me from that place of screaming wind and searing heat. It was the voice that had haunted my dreams and nightmares. But this time I felt her touch. Her scent filled my nostrils and seeped into my blood and bones, settling in my soul. My heart missed several beats, its rhythm erratic and painful, as if it was learning how to beat again.

“Ember?” I forced my eyes open, and found myself looking right into her stunning, tear filled, emerald eyes.

“Oh, Mother Wolf. Connor?” Her hands rested on my chest, bringing my attention to the searing pain there.

“Ember? Yes...it’s me,” I managed to say, my voice scratchy, my mouth dry. “Is that really you?” Please don’t let this be another dream.

Another broken sob wrenched from her chest and she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, burying her face in my neck. With that contact something in my soul clicked into place. Inhaling deeply, I ignored the agony in my chest and lifted my arms, wrapping them around her. Slowly, my eyes focused on the white faced people who stood gaping at us. Owen and Stone were covered in dust and had small scratches on their faces and necks.

“Brothers?” My voice was loosening up. “Mother Wolf, it’s good to see you.” And it really was, but I wasn’t about to release my hold on my mate to get up and greet them.

“Yeah, you too, man.” Owen grinned, relief obvious on his face.

“Prime,” Stone said, his eyes a curious mix of silver and purple.

My eyes rested on the man who stood shoulder to shoulder with my brothers; myfreebrothers. This wasn’t the prison that was obvious. I had no idea where I was right now, other than noticing that the walls behind me had been blown out and frigid, snow-laced air was blowing in.

“Alex? Wow! Alex Blaze? What the fuck are you doing here?” I stared at the man I hadn’t seen for years. The last time I’d seen the doppelganger, he’d been posing as a teacher at Ember’s school.

Alex came and knelt next to Ember. “Hey, Commander. Good to see you, too. I came here to help your Firecracker get you back. But it looks like we brought the wrong you back. Zander saw it. He saved you, Connor. Your brother saved your ass and forced it back out of Hell.”

Oh, shit, Zander…

He was in Hell, and by the looks of it, about to become Berith’s new toy. Berith wouldn’t end him, I was sure of it, but he would make his existence one of agony. I squeezed my eyes shut. He’d saved me—at the cost of his own freedom.

I hugged Ember closer to me, my soul pulsing against hers. Even without my wolf, I could sense hers lingering just below the surface. A dark growl, followed by a keening sound, echoed in my head.

Prime!

My heart ached and that empty void in my soul gaped wide. My head suddenly seemed too busy, my heart too full of emotion. I had my mate back and she was alive and safe in my arms, but my wolf was hers now. I rested my head back against the floor and closed my eyes, a tear running from the corner of one eye. “Godsdammit, this better not be another dream.” It would utterly break me this time… “No more,” I begged. “Please.”

Ember lifted her head and she took hold of my face in both of her hands. “No, this really isn’t a dream, Connor, I promise. You really are here with me and your brothers. Oh gods, I’m so sorry for leaving you in that Hellhole for so long.”

I opened my eyes and looked at the devastation in hers. “What? No, don’t you do that. None of what happened to me was your fault.” I gently clasped her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “Do you hear me? None of it.” I brushed my thumb over her lower lip, wanting to reassure her, but I was a starving man, and that small contact snapped something inside of me. I pulled her towards me desperate to taste her, to know without a doubt that she was real. The second her lips touched mine, a deep groan left me. Her taste erupted across my tongue and I devoured it, absorbing everything about her into my shattered soul.

A loud cough registered. “Hey, you two! Knock it off would ya? There’s rooms for that kind of thing.”

I pulled away from Ember enough to look up into Shannon’s shining eyes. “Good to see you too, Shannon.”

“Hey, Ember, why don’t you let Connor sit up? Hm? He needs checking over by a medic,” Alex suggested.

My beautiful Firecracker glared at him, but didn’t speak, instead, her fingers curled over my shoulders, holding on as if she would never let go, let alone let me up for medical help. I glanced down and wrinkled my nose in distaste. I could scent the stink of that Demon piece of shit on every part of me. I needed to get rid of it. I buried my nose in Ember’s neck and inhaled her scent again. At least he hadn’t fooled my Firecracker into getting into his bed. “Hey, sweetheart, it’s okay, I’m not going anywhere. And Alex is right. This burn really does sting.”

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